Nikname
Rexburg, Idaho
(The topic of this post might be offensive for some people)
My friend Amanda was telling me that while in High School people used to call her “Mandy’ or “A J”.
That reminded me to the nicknames that my high school mates used to call me.
Most nicknames in Argentina come from the physical appearance, your social situation, or something embarrassing you did (or do) for example one of the most common nick names out there is “Fat” or “Fatty” (Gordo, Gordita)
It is not uncommon to hear nicknames such as “bones” or “skinny” (Flaca) to someone who is really skinny, “black” (negro o negrito) to someone with darker skin or humble situation, Shorty (Petiso) to someone who is short, big nose, big head, big butt, big boobs, etc (you get the picture) all of those nicknames are socially acceptable.
What it is uncommon is to have a nickname using the initial of your name unless it sound really funny or descrives you, like my friend Candela, her nickname was KQ (CA-CU) which in spanish sounds like ‘Candela Big Butt’.
For a while I had a nickname with the initial of my full ‘OHB’. (Since the H in Spanish is silent it was just O. B)
It was fine until a huge advertising billboard (right in front of my school) showed my initials on an ad for “O. B. Tampons”
I finally got it!
After a lot of work, I finally have it in my hands! Thanks Dallas!!!! And Shannon, and Renato, and Rodrigo, and Paola, and Dave P, And Ryan… THANKS TO ALL
This is a big moment for all of us… (I am getting emotional)
Laugh Out Loud Funny Faces
Heather has a program in her computer that makes your face looks really funny, I haven’t laughed like I did doing the faces in a long time.
Journey to the Great Salt Lake Shore
Salt Lake City, Utah
The Book & the Dream
I am about to finish reading the book, The Voyage of The Dawn Treader, from the The Chronicles of Narnia, written by C. S. Lewis. I love it!
I already said this, but every chapter takes you to an incredible adventure. My very well known hobby is traveling and discovering new places, so I guess I am always looking for an exciting quest. The book practically describes those adventures that I used to dream about when I was a kid.
The Journey
Rodrigo, my friend from work, wanted to do something different and asked me if there was something to see in Salt Lake, I told him that contrary to what people believe, in my opinion the Great Salt Lake is the most interesting thing in the whole Valley.
It didn’t take much to convince him to go with me to explore one of the lake’s coast and our little trip reminded me a little of The Dawn Treader.
Desert of Salt
We started our journey walking through a small desert of salt trying to ignore the awful smell of the lake.
The ground looked brown instead of the white color of the salt. When we were close to the shore, the ground seemed to be moving. We discovered that those brown moving things were billions of insects called ‘ephydriadae.’
To avoid the strange insects, we started walking in the shallow waters. The whole shore was very shallow; the water wouldn’t get even to our knees.
Rodrigo wanted to walk to the deep part of the lake to swim to Antelope Island but after walking for several minutes and still in shallow waters, we decided to go back to the shore.
(Rodrigo walking in the Ghost Island)
The little Islands
On the way back, we found some mini-islands which we named Bird Island (because its shape resembled a bird), Trapped Whale Island (because it looked like a whale trapped in the beach, Stick Island (because we found sticks on it) Ghost Island (because you couldn’t see it until you were right next to it) and Twins Islands, a couple of small islands close to each other.
(Rodrigo showing proudly his very own ‘Rigo Island’)
When we saw them, both of us started racing to get to the little island first. Rodrigo got first to the bigger one and named it ‘Rigo Island’ I named mine ‘Little Island’.
Once in the beach, we walked to the Saltair (a castle-like building that a long, long time ago used to be a major summer resort )
On our way back, we found the strangest things.
Seagull’s Cemetery
Not too far from the water, we found some sort of ruins of an old house. There we noticed the huge concentration of salt. The smell was very strong there and the ground was very muddy making it difficult to walk.
Behind the ruins we saw hundreds of dead seagulls all around; it was disturbing.
But that wasn’t the only dead thing we found. We also saw some big dead fish (How did it get there? How a fish can survive in the salty lake?)
Other things that we found were an old rusted car, an abandoned boat, a person made of rocks in the ground and, what was most amusing to me, many holes of salt.
Our journey didn’t end there, but I’ll left the rest for another occasion.
Don’t miss the pictures !!(Click here)
Invited
Park City, Utah
A few months ago i was invited to represent the LDS Business College at the “SLC Downtown Alliance” Brakefast.
This time I am invited to speak in a Breakfast-lunch meeting in Park City.
The event is in a few minutes and I am still not prepared.
Evening at the Zoo
Salt Lake City Utah
Buenos Aires Zoo
When I was 8 my godfather took me to the Buenos Aires zoo; of course I was more than excited to see all those strange animals like the zebra, the tigers, etc.
I remember that between all the screaming kids and the animals the place was really noisy. It was great.
When we went to see the lions I notice that a group of kids were making fun of an old and ugly Lion.
The Lion was seating in a rock, and I can swear it was looking at me. (Seeing it looking at me made me uncomfortable.)
The lion stood up, stared to the group of kids who were mucking him and roared very loudly.
Until this day I’ve never heard something like it. It was so potent that after that I couldn’t hear anything at all, everybody (and everything) stood quite for a second.
Neither animals, nor people dared to disobey what it seemed to be a demand for silence.
After that day I decided never to step my foot in a zoo again. I don’t think I had a real reason for that, I just never did it again.
It was one of those things that you just don’t do and became your “made-up-value”
20 years later I still keep that commitment of going to a Zoo, unless I did until last Saturday.
Salt Lake City, Utah Zoo
Last Saturday, my roommates John R’s job rented the whole zoo for the afternoon for a party; so my roommates and I went to support and spend the evening at the Zoo.
Driving School
Salt lake City, Utah
Procrastinated Goal
I am ‘finally’ trying to get my driving license. It is not something I really need to get, but it is something I promised myself to get almost 5 years ago… and I think (thanks to the non stop pushing of my friend Dallas and my sister) that it’s about time.
The process starts going to a driving school (A-1 Driving school) for almost 3 weeks.
In those classes the instructors talk about driving rules and potential dangers on the road… and then they have to show you some videos.
Those videos are really boring and dull, mostly from the 80s. (One of them was hosted by Don Johnson!!! From the old ‘Miami Vice”)
I fell as sleep in the one that explain the parts and its functions. (I know I’ll regret that some day)
My favorite so far is the one that show you accidents and dead people.
In the United States is common to have a car when you are 15 so most of my class mates are 15 to 16 year old teenagers.
Driving Ed: Written test
After a little of reading I went to the closest Driving License Division Office from home to take the written test (So I can have my ‘Learner Driving license’)
There were a large amount of people, mostly parents with their teen kids. They were all talking about how hard the test was, and that they know people who took it twice already, etc.
They were making me nervous.
Went some of them got out of the testing room, some of them came out really disappointed or embarrassed because they fail the test, and others got out jumping of excitement because they passed the test.
The test was in a computer where you can choose the answers touching it with your fingers.
I passed it with 48 right answers out of 50… maybe there was not enough reason to feel excited because it was really easy, but I still felt really happy.
As my friend said, “there is always feels good to pass stuff…”
Days of ‘47 Float Parade (Pioneer Day)
I was “asked” to be part of the LDS Business College Float for the Pioneer’s Day Parade (Days of ’47 Float Parade)
There were thousands of people, TV cameras, and helicopters from the media, cheering, screams, and, of course, floats… Lots and lots them.
I am not going to lie… it feels pretty good to hear your name and see familiar faces cheering for you with signs and all.
It was like I was famous for a while (my 5 min of glory)
Thanks for the pics to: Dallas S., Devin D., Howard T. Louise B. Ryan B. and Shannon S.,
The Bulletin board (My Bulletin Board)
Salt Lake City, Utah
I work for the PR department of LDS Business College.
They asked me to design and organize the Bulleting board of the school.
After a lot of pushing it is finally finished.
Hurray for me and my bulletin board.!
